Chateau Pontet-Canet 2010 | 100RP: Remarkable to behold and experience
The Wine Advocate called what many—including us—believe to be the greatest wine of 2010. And one of the greatest of the last CENTURY! Chateau Pontet-Canet 2010 is “an absolutely amazing wine (with) off-the-charts massiveness (and) laser-like precision.” Parker raved that this “remarkable to behold and experience” and “needs a good decade of cellaring.” Incredibly, this is a “50- to 75-year wine”!
So, Winebuyoftheday usually focuses on red gems under $50. Sometimes a bit higher. But Chateau Pontet-Canet bottlings are an exception. My personal experience with the winery is nothing short of exceptional, having had the opportunity to share the 2000 vintage with my closest friends. So, if you pardon me for splurging, I will be sharing more Chateau Pontet-Canet vintages with you. I hope you splurge too! And the Chateau Pontet-Canet 2010 is off the charts amazing. More about what the experts had to say…
Robert Parker exudes “Kudos to Pontet-Canet!”
100pts Robert Parker | An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17. While, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. Yet, coming from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes.
The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing, or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience. It is very easy, to become jaded tasting such great wines from a great vintage, but it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this. Unfortunately, it needs a good decade of cellaring, and that’s assuming it doesn’t close down over the next few years. This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux. Is there anything that proprietor Alfred Tesseron is not doing right? Talk about an estate that is on top of its game! Pontet-Canet’s 2010 is a more structured, tannic, and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009. Kudos to Pontet-Canet!
More Sensational Cellar Selections
100pts James Suckling | The aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There’s a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of the tannins is amazing. Seamless. There’s amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine’s unique terroir. Try Chateau Pontet-Canet 2010 after 2018.
Proprietor Alfred Tesseron. Winemaker Jean-Michel Comme| Special Cellar Release
Alfred converted Pontet-Canet’s farming to organic and later biodynamic practices. While halting the use of all chemicals, and noticing a better concentration of flavors in the fruit as the years went on. He also changed the whole facility to a gravity-fed one, avoiding the use of pumps that can extract astringent seed tannins, and installing a double sorting line to ensure that only pristine berries make it into the winery. Alfred himself designed cement vats and amphorae for fermentation, drawing upon the gravel from the property itself to mix the cement, infusing the wine with the property’s terroir throughout the process.
Explore today’s finds at Bounty Hunter
So, every one of the Pontet-Canet bottles we’ve featured recently has shown off Alfred Tesseron’s incredible achievements at the Pauillac estate. Thanks to Alfred, his daughter Justine, and to you, our loyal Bordeaux collectors. Because on the strength of your buying power, Pontet-Canet is happy to reward you with this special cellar-release.
